<p> Romans 9-11 has been investigated through varied methods during the past two decades. One of the most prominent approaches is an intertextual reading of Rom 9-11. However, most discussions of intertextual studies do not adequately treat the discourse in Rom 9-11 by closely investigating Paul's discourse patterns and that of his Jewish contemporaries regarding God, Israel, and the Gentiles due to lack of an appropriate intertextual methodological control. Therefore, this study adapts Lemke's linguistic intertextual thematic theory as a methodological control to analyze Paul's intertextual discourse patterns in Rom 9-11. Paul's unique way of using Scripture as one part of his discourse pattern will be investigated as well. Through the intertextual thematic study of Paul's discourse in Rom 9-11, we demonstrate the divergence of Paul's viewpoints on some typical Jewish issues, which suggests that the discontinuities between Paul and his Jewish contemporaries are obvious and-sometimes-radical.</p> <p> We conclude the findings of our investigation of Rom 9-11 as follows: First, we have adjusted Lemke's intertextual thematic analysis, as an indispensable tool, to analyze Paul's viewpoints of the relationships of God, Israel and the Gentiles in Rom 9-11 within the backdrop of Second Temple Literature. Second, Paul re-contextualizes the Jewish discourse patterns regarding the topics of intercession, Israel, God's promise, God's people, righteousness and law. It can be seen that Paul's discourse patterns share some continuity with his Jewish contemporaries, but the core of his value regarding how to include the Gentiles as God's people stands in a discontinuous relationship with contemporary Judaism(s). Third, this study has demonstrated that although Paul uses Jewish styles of scriptural hermeneutics, and though his discourse patterns resemble some Jewish literature in important aspects, Paul's viewpoint on the relationship of God, Israel and the Gentiles in Rom 9-11 is dissociated from his Jewish contemporaries in key ways. In other words, the core value of early Christian discourse has been embedded in Rom 9- 11. Paul's viewpoint on the relationship of God, Israel and the Gentiles takes a divergent stance away from his Jewish contemporaries since Gentile inclusion is rooted in the Gospel of Christ. Finally, Rom 9-11 not only provides Paul's self-presentation as a Mosaic prophet figure, but also its overall discourse patterns appears as a prophetic discourse: In each section (Rom 9:1-29; 9:30-10:4; 11:1-36) Paul designates his identity or his concerns of lsrael (Rom 9:1-3, 10:1; 11:1-2) before he enters into the argumentation, which demonstrates the relation between Paul's self-understanding and his message in these three chapters; also, the overall discourse pattern in Rom 9-11 resembles a prophetic discourse pattern, which expresses the idea that Paul's self-understanding as a prophetic figure serves to confirm that his word comes from divine authority.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

When measuring people’s trust, research show a negative trend where people’s trust over time is declining globally, where digitalization is accelerating the process. Trust is a key component in a democratic society and social studies has the task of communicating democratic values and integrate the students in the democratic process. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine how different aspects of the concept “Trust” are highlighted and portrayed within different fields of knowledge in textbooks for social studies in upper secondary school. Three aspects of trust was analyzed; social capital and trust in one’s surroundings; trust in the political system and its institutions; how the economic system influence people’s trust. The concept of trust was examined through a thematic analysis, with discourse analytical elements that calculated frequencies of latent and semantic value words. The analysis indicate that both textbooks contain a frequent space for discourses of trust, where social trust is highlighted. Furthermore the results showed a big difference between latent reasoning about trust and direct semantic reasoning about trust. When examining study questions and tasks similar results were found, where Arena 123 had the most latent codes in the answer options, while Perspektiv på samhället had the most direct trust frequencies.

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This thesis investigates how queer women on the social networking site (SNS) TikTok are expressing their cultural identity and building community. Previous research has shown that self-expression and self-presentation are important parts of defining one's identity and building community for queer individuals, and this study analyzes details specifically within the unique platform of TikTok. Its popularity and success as an SNS that utilizes an advanced algorithm justifies its examination and highlights its multifaceted benefits, such as ease of community building and accessibility to diverse content. In a thematic analysis of 66 TikTok videos using the song "girls" by Girl in Red, and consisting of female-presenting individuals, two themes were revealed and defined: color combinations communicating identity and viral trends as queer confirmation or communication. These themes reveal two ways those in the queer community are embracing small content details to find each other and practice cultural identity expression. Study findings outline the social and technological advancements of online community building, while also illuminating how stigma symbols defined by previous studies are continually employed in the TikTok videos examined in this study. Results also support previous TikTok research suggesting that queer users are developing self-organized practices in response to algorithmic functions. / MACOM / This study examines strategies employed by queer women on TikTok to express their identity and build community with one another. The mobile app, which allows users to post short video clips accompanied by audio, often songs that are popular or coordinated with the message of the video, has become an increasingly important channel of communication for members of various communities. For gender and sexual minorities, self-expression and self-presentation are important parts of defining one's identity and building community. Inspired by the growing popularity online of the Norwegian singer-songwriter Girl in Red, this study analyzes the contents of 66 videos using her song, "girls." The study illustrates how online community building has advanced since early social media, the influence of the innovative TikTok algorithm, and provides context for a popular trend on the app. Results show that queer women recognize and utilize TikTok affordances to their advantage, such as participating in trends or liking specific content to encourage cultural identity connections via the algorithm.

Kamala Harris made history on November 7, 2020, when she was elected as the first female Vice President of the United States. In addition to being the first woman, she became the first African-American and Indian-American to attain this position. As a result, the media had to grapple with how to cover her historic campaign from the moment she was announced as the vice-presidential selection. This qualitative thematic analysis examined The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal's coverage of her campaign with significant analysis on important events such as the initial buzz surrounding her selection, the convention speech, and the vice-presidential debate. Specifically, this study examines 70 news articles total from both newspapers from August 11-November 3, 2020 to determine the recurring themes from her coverage. Results indicated that although traditional media frames and themes were not a significant focus, Harris's intersectionality brought about a new set of frames to explore, with subtle differences between the two newspapers. Implications of these results and future considerations for the media are discussed. / Master of Arts / Kamala Harris made history on November 7, 2020, when she was elected as the first female Vice President of the United States. In addition to being the first woman, she became the first African-American and Indian-American to attain this position. Throughout her campaign, the media had to learn how to cover an historic candidate effectively, since this moment had no precedent. This thesis chose to explore The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal's coverage of her campaign because of their influence in shaping the news around the country and they both represent different sides of the political spectrum. Important events that are covered include the initial announcement, the convention speech, and the vice-presidential debate. This study looks to determine if the stereotypical frames that the media places on female candidates are still seen with Harris. Results indicated that although traditional media stereotypes were not a significant focus, Harris's identity brought about a new set of themes to analyze, with each paper focusing on different aspects. Implications of these results and future considerations for the media are discussed.

This study seeks to identify, understand, and compare the themes created by Russian and Chinese state-run media online in their framing of the United States. The study will compare the Facebook posts made by a Russian news agency and a Chinese news agency: RussiaToday and Xinhua News, respectively. The study incorporates agenda-setting, framing theory, and previous research to understand the themes present in the coverage of the United States during 2020. Additionally, the lengthy history of Russian and Chinese malign influence toward the United States, combined with the immediate nature of social media creates a unique opportunity for understanding the intersection between communication processes and international relations in the 21st Century. A total of 100 Facebook posts were collected from CrowdTangle and analyzed using a software intended for qualitative data analysis to compare the frames that exist in the selected content. The findings reveal four major topics of importance that Russia and China primarily use to frame the United States. Additionally, the frames depicted in the social media posts were compared and examined. The findings reveal that in 2020 Russia and China overwhelmingly framed the United States in a negative light by describing the United States as an enemy and by highlighting American failures. However, some positive framing – though rare – also occurred by describing the United States as an ally and by emphasizing American successes. Lastly, the findings are consistent with previous research that indicates Russia and China craft specific, tailored narratives about the United States in the pursuit of national interests. The results of this study indicate that Russia and China capitalize on polarizing events to sow discord within American society. In general, this study has the potential to provide information that can be useful for multiple government agencies in identifying counter-messaging opportunities online. / MACOM / This study examines the framing of the United States by Russia and China on social, specifically Facebook. The study utilizes the Facebook posts from two state-run news agencies – one from each country – in order to understand the way each country frames the United States. The lengthy history of Russian and Chinese malign influence toward the United States, combined with the immediate nature of social media creates a unique opportunity for understanding the intersection between mass media and international relations in the 21st Century. Recent events such as the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 presidential election, and issues of race combined with a prominent social media landscape serve as the backdrop to better understand how Russian and Chinese media operate online. The findings reveal that each country overwhelmingly frames the United States in a negative light by describing the United States as an enemy and by highlighting American failures. Surprisingly, however, some content does positively frame the United States by describing it as an ally and by highlighting American successes. Lastly, the findings show that Russia and China craft specific, tailored narratives of the United States in the pursuit of national interests, which directly supports previous literature. The results of this study indicate that Russia and China capitalize on polarizing events to sow discord within American society. In general, this study has the potential to provide information that can be useful for multiple government agencies in identifying counter-messaging opportunities online.

With a global and national shortage in the number of registered organ donors, this study employed a qualitative thematic analysis of thirteen episodes from popular medical dramas that aired between 2016-2020. The aim of this study was to allow for a better understanding of how the media utilizes entertainment television to portray storylines related to organ donation. The analyzed shows included in this study were: Grey's Anatomy, The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam, Chicago Med, and The Resident. From the analysis, six major themes emerged: Urgency of Transplant, Ethical Decision-Making, Emotional Impacts of Organ Donation on Patient and Families, Familial Relationships Impacting Donation, Viewer Education via Vicarious Learning, and Excitement Surrounding Surgery. In addition to these themes, both favorable and unfavorable cues related to organ donation were present throughout the analysis. These findings have implications for audience members via social cognitive theory. This study illuminated the ongoing efforts made by the entertainment television industry to portray organ donation in a factual manner and to provide the viewing public with potential opportunities for organ donation education. / Master of Arts / With a global and national shortage in the number of registered organ donors, this study analyzed thirteen episodes from popular medical dramas that aired between 2016-2020 to determine what themes were present amongst the analyzed shows. The analyzed shows included in this study were: Grey's Anatomy, The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam, Chicago Med, and The Resident. The aim of this study was to allow for a better understanding of how the media utilized entertainment television to portray storylines related to organ donation. From the analysis, six major themes emerged: Urgency of Transplant, Ethical Decision-Making, Emotional Impacts of Organ Donation on Patient and Families, Familial Relationships Impacting Donation, Viewer Education via Vicarious Learning, and Excitement Surrounding Surgery. In addition to the emergence of these themes, the analysis revealed both favorable and unfavorable cues related to organ donation were present in these entertainment storylines. This study illuminated the ongoing efforts made by the entertainment television industry to portray organ donation in a factual manner and to provide the viewing public with opportunities for organ donation education.

Recent literature suggests that LGBTQ+ women of color are more likely to raise children or have children in the home compared to White LGBTQ+ women (Gates, 2013, 2015). Most of the LGBTQ+ motherhood research has focused narrowly on one domain of queer motherhood, lesbian mothers' experience of mothering (Bible et al., 2018) and centered on the experiences of White, middle-class, cisgender mothers (Brainer et al., 2020; Manley and Ross, 2020; Reczek, 2020). The interlocking nature of multiple marginalized identities places Black queer mothers at a unique intersection of oppression (Crenshaw, 1991). Exploring the complexity of lived experience among Black mothers who identify with a plurisexual identity (i.e., bi, queer, pan, or fluid; Galupo, 2018) provides family scientists and scholar-practitioners an opportunity to analyze the internal, relational, and institutional influences that reinforce or challenge racism, sexism, and homophobia. The present study sought to understand how Black queer mothers experience motherwork as queer mothers, how they build and navigate networks of support, and how they use community resources. The study was guided by intersectionality rooted within the theoretical framework of Black Feminist Thought, as well as an emphasis on motherwork as both a theoretical framework and a concept explored. Using reflexive thematic analysis, semi- structured interviews (Mtime = 79.63 minutes), photovoice submissions, and photovoice interviews (Mtime = 38.32 minutes) were conducted with 10 participants (8 of the 10 participants completed photovoice). Four key themes were identified (a) Attentiveness and Resistance to Discrimination (subtheme: Active Reflectivity in Parenting Strategies); (b) Promoting Openness of Self-Expression in Child(ren) (subtheme: Queer Identity Helps Foster Acceptance and Intentionality); (c) Negotiating Informal Support (three subthemes: Barriers to Support, Desiring Like-Minded Social Groups, and Boundaries in Close Relationships Are Critical); and (d) Emphasis on Finding the "Right" Environment to Meet Family Needs (subtheme: Utilizing Individual or Couples Therapy). Findings have implications for the family science literature by providing an in-depth, Black feminist understanding of how Black queer mothers engage in queer motherwork, navigate informal support, and strategically access community resources. / Doctor of Philosophy / Recent literature suggests that LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) women of color are more likely to raise children or have children in the home compared to White LGBTQ+ women (Gates, 2013, 2015). Most of the LGBTQ+ motherhood research has focused narrowly on one domain of queer motherhood, lesbian mothers' experience of mothering (Bible et al., 2018) and centered on the experiences of White, middle-class, cisgender mothers (Brainer et al., 2020; Manley and Ross, 2020; Reczek, 2020). Exploring the complexity of lived experience among Black mothers who identify with a plurisexual identity (i.e., bi, queer, pan, or fluid; Galupo, 2018) provides researchers and clinicians an opportunity to consider the internal, relational, and institutional influences that reinforce or challenge marginalization. The present study sought to understand how Black queer mothers experience motherwork (e.g., identity, survival, and power) as queer mothers, how they build and navigate networks of support, and how they use community resources. The study was guided by intersectionality rooted within the theoretical framework of Black Feminist Thought, as well as an emphasis on motherwork as both a theoretical framework and a concept explored. I analyzed data from two individual interviews (including a photo-elicited interview) with 10 participants (8 of the 10 participants completed the second interview) (Braun and Clarke, 2022; Wang and Burris, 1997). Four key themes were identified (a) Attentiveness and Resistance to Discrimination (subtheme: Active Reflectivity in Parenting Strategies); (b) Promoting Openness of Self-Expression in Child(ren) (subtheme: Queer Identity Helps Foster Acceptance and Intentionality); (c) Negotiating Informal Support (three subthemes: Barriers to Support, Desiring Like-Minded Social Groups, and Boundaries in Close Relationships Are Critical); and (d) Emphasis on Finding the "Right" Environment to Meet Family Needs (subtheme: Utilizing Individual or Couples Therapy). Findings have research and clinical implications for how Black queer mothers engage in queer motherwork, navigate informal support, and strategically access community resources.

Drug use, overdose, and addiction has skyrocketed in the past twenty years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Negative stigma towards addiction, or otherwise known as substance use disorder (SUD), has only increased since President Nixon declared the "war on drugs" in 1971 (National Public Radio, 2007). Negative public stigma of SUD creates barriers for treatment for those who are suffering, continuing to exacerbate the stigma surrounding SUD. To understand ways to reduce stigma surrounding SUD, this study will look at narrative persuasion through transportation theory to better understand the power of stories and stories of recovery as a method to reduce stigma surrounding SUD among community members. In addition to examining narrative persuasion literature, 21 semi-structured interviews from community stakeholder groups in Virginia's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services region 3, were conducted. To further understand the content in the stakeholder interviews, a qualitative thematic analysis using inductive themes was conducted to determine common themes surrounding substance use disorder, stigma, and ways to reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder through narrative persuasion. Based on participant interviews, community stakeholders hold negative perceptions of those with SUD based on personal and professional experiences but believe that positive personal narratives of SUD and recovery can reduce public stigma towards those who suffer from the disorder. / Master of Arts / Drug use, overdose, and addiction has skyrocketed in the past twenty years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Negative stigma towards addiction, or otherwise known as substance use disorder (SUD), has risen since President Nixon declared the "war on drugs" in 1971 (National Public Radio, 2007). Negative public stigma of SUD creates barriers for treatment for those who are suffering, continuing to worsen the stigma surrounding SUD. To understand ways to reduce stigma surrounding SUD, this study will look at persuasive storytelling through transportation theory to better understand the power of stories and stories of recovery as a method to reduce stigma surrounding SUD among community members. In addition to examining narrative persuasion literature, 21 interviews from various community members in region 3 of Virginia were conducted. To further understand the content in the participant interviews, a thematic analysis was conducted to determine common themes and patterns surrounding substance use disorder, stigma, and ways to reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder through persuasive storytelling. Based on participant interviews, community stakeholders hold negative perceptions of those with SUD through personal and professional experiences but believe that positive personal narratives of SUD and recovery can reduce public stigma towards those who suffer from the disorder.